The chances of a white Christmas next week have begun to drift, according to bookmakers.
The last time snow fell on December 25th in Ireland was in 2004 when festive punters collected hefty pay-outs when betting shops re-opened on St Stephen's Day.
However William Hill bookies today released the longest odds for nearly ten years on a White Christmas in Dublin, Cork and Belfast.
"The odds against snow falling at any time during the 24 hours of Christmas Day are the longest they have been for over a decade - with Dublin and Cork at 8/1 and Belfast at 7/1," said a spokesman.
"The odds for snow on Christmas day in Ireland are nearly double the normal odds for previous years and barring a complete change in the weather conditions, we could be heading for one of the warmest Christmas days in history."
The prospect of early winter snow in Ireland is always remote due to the country's warm and wet climate. A wet Christmas is more likely next week as December is expected to be one of the wettest on record with higher than average rainfall in many areas.